CONTENTS PREFACE INTRODUCTION. 1. Difficulty of refuting the Attacks of modem Unbelievers against Religion. — 2. They deny the first Principles of Reason, in order to deny the Existence of Religion. — 3. Proof of the Existence of God, tiken from the common Consent of Mankind. — 4. The Idea of the Divinity is not the Result of Ignorance or Fear. — 5. Proof of the Existence of God from contingent Being. — 6. The Cause of the Universe is intelligent. — 7. The Universe cannot be the Result of Chance. — 8. It is not unscientific to seek the Cause of the Universe beyond the physical Order. — 9. Matter is not self-existing. — 10. Absurdity of an infinite Number. — 11. The Principle of Causality is objectively real. — 12. God is not the "Unknowable." — 13. Absurdity of Pantheism. — 14. Pantheism does not establish the Unity of Science. — 15. Creation is both possible and a Fact — 16. How God con- tains all Perfections. — 17. Principal Attributes of God. — 18. Life is not the Result of mechanical Forces. — 19. The Principle of Life is distinct from the Organism of the Body. — 20. Simplicity of the Soul of Man. — 21. Its Spirituality. — 22. Difference between the Soul of Man and the Soul of the Brute. — 23. The Freedom of the Will. — 24. Why this Introduction was needed 1 CONTENTS. PART I. ON THE NECESSITY AND EXISTENCE OF REVEALED RELIGION. CHAPTER I. ON THE NECESSITY OF WORSHIPPING GOD. 1. In what Religion consists. — 2. What Worship is. — 3. Necessity of internal Worship. — 4. Necessity of external Worship. — 5. God does not need our Worship, but on our Part it is necessary. — 6. Not Religion, but the Abuse of Religion, has caused many Evils. — 7. Religion does not unfit Man for the Duties of this Life. 37 CHAPTER II. THE SUPERNATURAL. 1. Great Aversion of modem Unbelievers to the Supernatural. — 2. Definition of the Natural and the Supernatural. — 3. The natural State of Man. — 4. The supernatural State. — 5. Necessity of embracing revealed Religion, if given by God 42 CHAPTER III. THE POSSIBILITY OF REVEALED RELIGION. 1. The Possibility of Revelation cannot be denied save by Atheists. — 2. Proof of this Possibility. — 3. Definition of Mysteries Natural and Supernatural. — 4. Possibility of the Revelation of supernatural Mysteries. — 5. Mysteries are not altogether unintelligible. — 6. The Difficulties raised against Mysteries are not insoluble. — 7. Their Revelation is not useless. 51 CHAPTER IV. MEANS OF KNOWING TRUE REVELATION. — MIRACLES. 1. Immediate and mediate Revelation. — 2. Definition of Miracles. — 3. Possibility of Miracles. — 4. The Constancy of the Order of Nature does not exclude the Possibility of Miracles. — 5. Physical Certainty is not opposed to moral Certainty. — 6. The Illiterate may be competent Witnesses to a miraculous Fact. — 7. All the Laws of Nature need not be known, in order to judge whether a Fact is miraculous. — 8. Miracles are a certain Proof of Revelation. — 9. Necessity oFa Criterion to distinguish true Miracles from false Ones. — 10. The Criterion to be used for this Purpose. — 11. Mesmerism. — 12. Spiritism not opposed to Miracles. — 13. Its Phenomena not new Inventions. — 14. The Explanation given of these Phenomena is not unscientific. 57 CHAPTER V. ON PROPHECIES. 1. Definition of Prophecy. — 2. Possibility of Prophecy, and its validity as a proof of revealed Truth. — 3. Pagan Oracles are no valid Objection against Prophecy 73 CHAPTER VI. NECESSITY OF REVELATION. 1. Distinction between physical and moral Necessity. — 2. The moral Necessity proved from the Fact that all Nations deprived of Revelation fell into Idolatry. — 3. Paganism was Demon-worship. — 4. Paganism a School of Vice. — 5. The same Effects manifested where revealed Religion is discarded. — 6. The Perfectibility of Man insufficient to do away with Revelation. — 7. Man did not progress from total Ignorance to higher Knowledge. — 8. Idol- worship nQt the primitive Religion of Mankind. — 9. Pagan Philosophers never reached a sufficient Knowledge of Truth. — 10. Even had they attained its full Knowledge, still Revelation is necessary. — 11. An external Rule necessary to keep down Man's Passions. — 12. Without Revelation Sinners not sure of Pardon. — 13. Revelation necessary for social Worship. — 14. Would Revelation have been necessary, had Man been created in a purely natural State. — 15. The primitive Revelation lost through Man's Fault 76 CHAPTER VII. ON THE EXISTENCE OF REVELATION. 1. The Existence of Revelation proved from its Necessity. — 2. From the common Consent of Mankind. — 3. From the national Traditions of Antiquity. — 4. From the Rite of Sacrifice. — 5. How this Rite originated 94 CHAPTER VIII. ON MAHOMETANISM. 1. — There is no Need of passing in Review all religious Beliefs. — 2. Idolatry evidently absurd. — 3. Mahomet's Want of Credentials, and his Contradictions. — 4. The Koran full of Fables. Immorality of the false Prophet. — 5. Ignorance of Mahomet. — 6. Recommends only external Observances. — 7. Baneful Effects of Islamism. — 8. Its rapid Spreading no Proof in its Favor. 98 CHAPTER IX. ON THE JEWISH RELIGION. THE GENUINENESS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 1. Genuineness of the Pentateuch proved from the Jewish Traditions. — 2. The Pentateuch existed before the Schism of the Ten Tribes. — 3. It is anterior to the Time of the Judges. — 4. Its Author contemporaneous with the Exodus. — 5. His Legislation bears the Impress of the Desert. — 6. He is perfectly acquainted with Egypt. — 7. The objection against the genuineness of the Pentateuch has no Weight. — 8. Solution of Objections. Facts not in accordance with the Existence of the Mosaic Law. — 9. The Author did not live after the Conquest of Palestine. 103 CHAPTER X. AUTHENTICITY OF THE PENTATEUCH. 1. Its Authenticity rejected by Infidels, on Account of the Miracles contained in it. — 2. The Pentateuch underwent no Change. — 3. That Moses is a trustworthy Author is proved from his Style. — 4. He could not be an Impostor. — 5. The Miracles related by him are intimately connected with the History of the Jews. — 6. The Jews were convinced of their Reality. — 7. The Jews could not have been deceived by Moses. — 8. They considered themselves bound by the Law of Moses, even after his Death. — 9. The Worship of the Jews a standing Memorial of those Miracles. — 10. The Sabbatic Year a constant Miracle. — 11. Mention made of Mosaic Miracles by pagan Authors. 114 CHAPTER XI. PRINCIPAL EVENTS RELATED IN GENESIS. 1. Moses a competent Witness of the Events related in Genesis. — 2. The Words Elohim and Jehovah do not point to two different Authors. — 3. The six Days of Creation do not furnish a valid Objection against Genesis. — 4. Objections taken from ancient Chronologies and geological Facts. — 5. Age of the human Race according to Genesis. — 6. Chaldean Chronology. — 7. Egyptian Chronology. — 8. Egyptian Monuments no Argument for the great Antiquity of the human Race. — 9. Chinese Chronology. — 10. Prehistoric Times. — 11. Quaternary Formations of comparatively recent Date. — 12. Stone Ages no Proof of the high Antiquity of Man. — 13. Fossil Remains of Man found together with extinct Species of Animals. — 14. Peat Formations and Lake Dwellings, — 15. The State of Civilization of ancient Nations no Proof of the Antiquity of the human Race. — 16. Traditions regarding the Deluge. — 17. Unity of the human Race. — 18. Tower of Babel. 126 CHAPTER XII. THE JEWISH RELIGION, AS TO ITS CEREMONIAL, WAS TO BE PERFECTED BY A NEW REVELATION. 1. The Jewish Religion, in its Ceremonial, typical of the Messiah. — 2. Promise of a Messiah. — 3. The Messiah believed in by the Jews. — 4. Expected by the Generality of Mankind. — 5. The Messiah was to give a new Law. — 6. To establish a new Sacrifice and a new Priesthood. — 7. The Religion established by the Messiah a Perfection of the Mosaic One 154 CHAPTER XIII. THE MESSIAH PROMISED TO THE JEWS IS ALREADY COME. 1. The Advent of the Messiah proved from the Prophecy of Jacob. — 2. Of Daniel. — 3. Authenticity of Daniel's Prophecy. — 4. Proof from the Prophecies of Aggeus and Malachias 162 CHAPTER XIV. JESUS CHRIST IS THE MESSIAH PROMISED TO THE JEWS. 1. Christ alone realized what was foretold by the Prophets. — 2. All the Prophecies are fulfilled in Him. — 3. Dispersion of the Jews after His Death 169 CHAPTER XV. - THE GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY OF THE GOSPELS. 1. Genuineness of the Gospels proved by the Testimony of the Writers of the first Centuries of the Church. — 2. They could not have been Forgeries. — 3 They were acknowledged by the Heretics of the earliest Ages. — 4. The Jews admitted their Genuineness. — 5. So did pagan Writers. — 6. The Gospels have undergone no Change. — 7. Authenticity of the Gospels. — 8. Christ's Miracles admitted by the Talmud. — 9. Also by pagan Writers. — 10. Testimony of Josephus. — 11. Genealogy of St. Matthew. - 12. Assertions of modern Critics of the Rationalistic School 172 CHAPTER XVI. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST ATTESTS HIS DIVINE MISSION. 1. Christ foretold His Death and Resurrection. — 2. His Death was real. — 3. Christ rose from the Dead : how His Enemies account for this Fact — 4. The Apostles were not deceived. — 5. Did not deceive. — 6. Could not deceive, even had they wished. — 7. Testimony of the Apostles confirmed by the Behavior of the Jewish Authorities. — 8. They confirmed their Testimony with their Blood. — 9. Why the Jews refused to believe. — 10. Apparent Contradiction between St. Mark and St. John. — 11. Spread of the Gospel throughout the whole World 184 PART II. ON THE CHURCH ESTABLISHED BY CHRIST. CHAPTER I. DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 1. Importance of the Dogma of the Divinity of Christ. — 2. Exposition of the Dogma. — 3. Divinity of Christ supposed by the Economy of the Christian Religion. — 4. Traditions of pagan Nations. ^5. Prophecies of the Old Testament proving the Divinity of the Messiah. — 6. Assertions of Rationalists. — 7. Divinity of Christ not invented either by St. Paul or by St. John. — 8. Testimony from St. Matthew, St. Luke, and St. John. — 9. From St. Paul. — 10, Traditions of the first Ages of the Church before the Heresy of Arius. — n. Solution of some Difficulties. 207 CHAPTER II. FIGURES BY WHICH THE CHURCH IS EXPRESSED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 1. The Church is a Kingdom. — 2. A City. — 3. -A House. — 4. A Temple. — 5. Meaning of these Figures. — 6. The Church is a Body. — 7. What this Figure implies. — 8. The Church a Sheepfold. — 9. A Bride. — 10. Parables referring to the Church. 227 CHAPTER III. INSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH AS RELATED IN THE GOSPELS. 1. The Calling of the Apostles and their Election. — 2. Promises made to St. Peter alone. — 3. To all the Apostles. — 4. Fulfilment of these Promises. — 5. The Mission of the Holy Ghost. — 6. Presence of the Holy Ghost in the Church as a Body, and in the individual Members. — 7. Corollaries : the Church is one. — 8. The sole Teacher of Truth. — 9. She is indefectible and infallible in her Teaching. — 10. Catholic. — II. Holy. — 12. Apostolic 236 CHAPTER IV. UNITY OF THE CHURCH. 1. Christ willed the Church to be one. — 2. She is one in Faith. — 3. This Unity is indispensable. — 4. The Apostles insisted on it. — 5. The Church always asserted it. — 6. Unity of Charity without Unity of Faith insufficient. — 7. Absurdity of Unity in fundamental Articles only. — 8. It cannot be determined. — 9. Unity in Sacraments. — 10. In Government. — 11. Unity of Government required by Unity of Faith 247 CHAPTER V. CATHOLICITY OF THE CHURCH. 1. Foretold in the Old Testament and willed by Christ. — 2. The End Christ had in View requires it. — 3. It is simultaneous. — 4. How it is simultaneous 258 CHAPTER VI. Sanctity of the Church. 1. In what consists the Holiness of the Church? — 2. The Unworthiness of some of her Members no Obstacle to her Holiness. — 3. This Holiness must be made visible. — 4. Proved by the Gift of Miracles. # 262 CHAPTER VII. APOSTOLICITY OF THE CHURCH. 1. The Church apostolic. — 2. Material Succession alone not sufficient. — 3. Apostolicity required by all ancient Writers. — 4. No extraordinary Mission to teach new Dogmas, or reform old Ones. — 5. No Break in the Apostolic Succession to be feared. — 6. The four Properties of the Church based on Unity. — 7. The Church can never fail. — 8. No dogmatical Reform needed in the Church. — 9. The Promises made to the Church not conditional. — 10. Reform of individual Members may at times be required 268 CHAPTER VIII. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH ALONE HAS THE PROPERTIES OF CHRIST'S CHURCH. 1. Unity of the Roman Catholic Church. — 2. She has always held the same Doctrines. — 3: The Catholic Church could not vary in her Doctrines. — 4. Definitions of Doctrine argue no Change. — 5. Catholicity of the Roman Catholic Church. — 6. Her Sanctity : she makes her Children holy. — 7. Converts pagan Nations. — 8. Fosters Virginity. — 9. Produces Saints. — 10. Whose Sanctity is confirmed by Miracles. — 11. Her Stability. — 12. Sects constantly lose Ground. — 13. Calumnies against the Church refuted. — 14. Apostolicity of the Church. — 15. Antipopes no Break in the Apostolic Succession. — 16. Nor is the great Schism of the West a Break. — 17. Either the Greek Schismatics — 18. Nor Protestants can claim to be the Church of Christ. 275 CHAPTER IX. TEACHING AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH. 1. The Church must have an Authority. — 2. Different from that of civil Society. — 3. Not confided to the Faithful. — 4. An external Teacher required in the Church. — 5. The teaching Body must be infallible, because it must be authoritative. — 6. Without infallible Teaching no Faith possible. — 7. Christ willed the Church to be infallible. — 8. The Church always claimed Infallibility. — 9. Infallibility not opposed to Science. — 10. Galileo. — 11. The Church not opposed to Civilization. — 12. The Church may be known even to the Unlettered. — 13. How Children and the Ignorant come under the Teaching of the Church. — 14. Infallibility does not give rise to civil Intolerance. — 15. The Inquisition 292 CHAPTER X. THE BIBLE NOT SUFFICIENT TO CONSTITUTE THE INFALLIBLE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH. 1. The Authority of the Church necessary to know that we have the whole Bible. — 2. Its Inspiration can be proved only by the Church. — 3. Vain attempts of Protestants to prove its Inspiration. — 4. The Authority of the Church required for the Understanding of the Bible. — 5. And for knowing whether the vernacular Copy, is conformable to the Original. — 6. The first Christians had no Bible. — 7. With the Bible alone, Christ would have poorly provided for his Church. — 8. Objections from Scripture 310 CHAPTER XI. PRIMACY OF ST. PETER. 1. The Church must have a supreme visible Authority. — 2. Independent of the civil Power. — 3. The Government of the Church not aristocratic. — 4. The Church a Monarchy. — 5. The supreme Power vested in St. Peter and his Successors. — 6. Primacy promised to St. Peter by Christ. — 7. The Church built on St. Peter. — 8. The Keys of Heaven promised to him. — 9. Fulfilment of the promise. — 10. St. Peter exercised this Primacy. 324 CHAPTER XII. THE SUCCESSOR OF ST. PETER IN THE PRIMACY. 1. St. Peter's Privilege permanent in the Church. — 2. The Bishop of Rome the Successor of St. Peter. — 3. Proved by History. — 4. False Decretals. — 5. St. Peter was Bishop of Rome, and died there 340 CHAPTER XIII. INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPE AS HEAD OF THE CHURCH. 1. All must agree in Faith with the Pope. — 2. What is meant by Infallibility of the Pope. — 3. Proofs. The Foundation of the Church. — 4. The Centre of Unity. — 5. This Doctrine held by the Church. — 6. Gallicanism false. — 7. The Pope's Dogmatical Decrees cannot be reformed by the Church. — 8. Unity of Faith demands this Infallibility. — 9. Objections: St. Cyprian. — 10. LiberiuS. — 11. Honorius. — 12. Councils examined the Decisions of the Popes. — 13. Bad Popes. — 14. Usefulness of General Councils. — 15. The Decrees of the Vatican Council did not change the Relations between Church and State. 350 CHAPTER XIV. RELATIONS OF CHURCH AND STATE. 1. The Church superior to the State. — 2. The normal Condition of a State requires Union between Church and State. — 3. No Encroachment to be feared on the Part of the Church. — 4. The Deposing Power of the Popes. — 5. The State cannot impose any Religion. — 6. When the State has, by a social Act, embraced the true Religion, it has a Right and is bound to protect and defend the Unity of Religion. — 7. Toleration, and its Limits. — 8. The Laws of Marriage not to be interfered with by the State. — 9. The State cannot educate Children. — 10. Has no Right to impose a Tax for the Support of mere secular Schools. — 11. Liberalism. — 12. So-called Catholic Liberalism. — 13. Absurdity of this Theory. — 14. Its Fundamental Error. 363 INDEX. 381 Digitized by Google.

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